The Black Magician (novel Series) - Major Characters

Major Characters

• Sonea – A natural magician who initially hides from the Magicians' Guild in the slums where she was brought up, leading to prejudice and bullying from the other novices, especially Regin, who she is forced to defeat in a duel. Her guardianship belongs to Lord Rothen, and they develop a strong father-daughter bond. She discovers it was the High Lord using black magic (Administrator Lorlen read her mind) and believes he is evil or attempting to gain power. When he finds out he has her taken away from Rothen as his apprentice as a hostage, leading her to hate him. This is changed when she discovers his real reasons for doing this, after which she offers to help. Initially he refuses but gives in, and after a time they are discovered and exiled. During this period they fall in love, though Akkarin attempts to resist in loyalty to his first (dead) love, a Sachakan bed slave. He gives in and for the remaining time of his life, they are together and deeply in love. She comes back to Imardin to fight the Ichani invasion, during which Akkarin is killed, after which she discovers she is pregnant with his child. Her parents are both dead, though she has an aunt and uncle still alive.
• Ceryni – Cery is Sonea's friend who finds himself infatuated with her during her time in the slums and in the University. He later becomes involved with an Sachakan woman when he realizes Sonea is in love with Akkarin. He is quick-witted, and a skilled street fighter, attributes necessary to his line of work first as a pickpocket, but later as a Thief. Cery's father worked for the Thieves until he "squimped", or betrayed them, a fact that he keeps to himself. Cery's life goal is to set foot in every important building in Imardin, a goal he eventually achieves.
• High Lord Akkarin – The High Lord of the Guild, Akkarin is one of the most powerful Magicians of his time. Although his strength seemed to match his friend Lorlen's, he left the Guild soon after graduation to explore (though he claimed he was gathering information on ancient magic). When he returned he was exceptionally stronger. Until he takes over Sonea's guardianship, no one in Kyralia (except the Sachakans - including his servant Takan) knows why, but he reveals to Sonea that it is because he practices (forbidden) black magic. Akkarin is a dark character whose silent and mysterious demeanor was influenced by his travels after his education during which he was captured by a Sachakan Magician and forced into slavery. It was during this slavery that he fell in love with the bed-slave of his master and learned black magic in order to escape. When the Ichani began sending spies to Imardin to discover truths, he finds and kills them in order to dissuade rumours (spread by the brother of the Sachakan Ichani he killed to escape slavery) that the Guild has banned Higher Magic (which includes the absorption of another's power - which can regenerate - in order to gain immense power beyond the natural level) and have called it "Black Magic", this would mean the guild is weak and Kyralia vulnerable. Due to his love and loyalty for the slave-girl (who's master killed her for extra power) and secret life, he never married or had children, though many women have ambitions regarding him and he is frequently described as extremely handsome. When Akkarin discovers Sonea, Lord Rothen and Lord Lorlen know of his use of black magic he formally claims her guardianship without question (his position as High Lord grants him this privilege) but uses her as a hostage to prevent Lorlen and Rothen from exposing him, thereby preventing him from killing the spies and/or revealing Black Magic as banned to the Sachakans and spies, leading to an invasion. However, he is eventually framed for the murder of a guild magician, and while he is with Sonea killing a Sachakan spy (soon to be revealed as the first Ichani to be sent to Kyralia) his residence is found empty, and searched. Here the Guild discovers books on black magic in Sonea's room, since the learning or seeking of learning of black magic is forbidden, the magician's are encouraged to break into the basement of the residence, protected by a magical lock, and here a trunk full of books explaining black magic is found. When Akkarin returns, he is trialed. He explains his past and the threat from Sachaka, yet is still exiled for his use of black magic (which is better than the original punishment of execution). He is sent to the nearest country, not of the Allied Land. This is Sachaka. Sonea is offered to stay with the Guild, though she may never leave its premises and can never have a position of authority. Sonea, enraged (that they, knowing the hatred of Sachakans and the Ichani, would sent Akkarin to his death, yet keep her here in case the threat was genuine), angrily refuses and is sent to exile with Akkarin. This she accepts in hopes of being able to be used as a source of power by Akkarin so he may remain alive, and still be able to save Kyralia when the time comes. While in the Sachakan wastelands, it is discovered that Sonea has had feelings for Akkarin as he has had for her, and once confirmed, they fall in love, though he attempts to resist any relations, and says it is "improper" for the 13 year age difference, when in truth, Sonea has been testing his loyalty with his first love. After minutes of consideration, he gives in. Akkarin, still intending to help prevent the invasion, travels back to Imardin with Sonea. They work with the Thieves to prevent the invasion and are successful, though many are killed, including Akkarin. He dies protecting Kyralia. He is tricked into allowing a weapon into his shield and is stabbed by the Ichani's dagger. He does not let Sonea use magic or time healing him, arguing that if she does, they will both die and fail. Sonea defeats two of the remaining three Ichani but finds her power failing. Feeling one last slither of power, she uses it to kill the last. She looks down at Akkarin still in her arms, to find him staring past her, his eyes open and out of focus, with a smile on his lips. Realisation hits her, she sends her senses within him and finds no life energy. She realises he had given her that last vital sliver of power in order to kill the Ichani, and left nothing in himself, to maintain his life. Sonea cries, with herself cradled over his body, never knowing she is pregnant with his son.
• Lord Rothen – A Kyralian Magician who specializes in Alchemy. Rothen, although a widower, has a son who lives in a small village at the edge of Kyralia as a Healer. He is the first to witness Sonea's use of magic during the Purge, and leads the investigation to find her in the slums. Rothen is kind and accepting, as shown by his willingness to take Sonea in despite public opinion of her and his efforts to help his former Novice, Dannyl, overcome his problems as a student, not realizing the stories were true and Dannyl was gay. He is elected as the new Head of Alchemic Studies after the Ichani Invasion.
• Administrator Lorlen – A Kyralian magician and former Healer who runs the day to day aspects of the guild and organizes the University. Close friends with Akkarin, he is devastated when he discovers Akkarin using black magic, not knowing the reason. He used to be of similar strength before Akkarin surpassed him on his travels, and Akkarin hinted that they were both similar in strength to Sonea, hinting that they were potentially naturals. He is unmarried and cares for Sonea as a father, and feels helpless when she is "taken hostage" by Akkarin. Akkarin forces him wear a blood gem in the form of a ruby ring. This ring enables Akkain hear and see what Lorlen sees, hears and thinks. Akkarin uses this to prevent Lorlen exposing him, although when Akkarin is exposed regardless, he uses it to soften his sentence and communicate with Akkarin. Loren begins to believe Akkarin's story during the trial. Lorlen dies protecting Imardin. Soon after killing one Ichani (with the help of surrounding magicians - one Ichani is all they can manage before exhaustion) another Ichani causes a house to collapse with him inside. Still believing Akkarin is in Sachaka, he calls for Akkarin to help Imardin via the Blood Gem. Once Akkarin arrives he refuses to let him heal him as his broken bones and ruptured organs would take much time and power to heal, and every slither is needed in killing the Ichani. He dies in peace after questioning Akkarin briefly with his last breaths. He dies knowing why Akkarin had not replied to the many calls he had sent (to ensure the Ichani could not find out, ensuring an element of surprise). He is in peace knowing that his friend has returned and Imardin is safe, and that Sonea is alive. He then dies leaving Akkarin, his closest friend for 18 years, in pain.

• Lord Dannyl – A Kyralian magician who specialises in Alchemy; his hobby is devising a way to transfer mental images onto paper. A former novice of Lord Rothen, Dannyl is charming and friendly but has few friends. He is later elected as the Second Guild Ambassador to Elyne. Throughout the second and third books, Dannyl struggles with his sexual orientation, and it is revealed that he has been suppressing any "unnatural feelings" he felt towards men. However, at the beginning of the third book, Dannyl learns to accept these feelings and embarks on a relationship with his assistant, Tayend of Tremmelin even though he is aware of the dire consequences it might bring.